Canederli are delicious and comforting bread dumplings from the north of Italy. They're made with speck (smoked prosciutto), onion and chives and served in a rich and warming meat broth. This recipe is incredibly delicious and the perfect way to use up stale bread.
Cut stale bread into small cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and milk together with a fork. Add the egg mixture to the bread, stirring to make sure no dry bread remains then set aside.
Finely chop the onion and speck. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan on a medium heat and saute the onion until soft. Once soft, add the speck and cook for a 2-3 minutes. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
Add the speck and onions to the bread alongside the finely chopped chives and a pinch of nutmeg and salt. Add the flour and mix until everything is combined.
Using damp hands shape a piece of the dumpling mixture into a golf ball-sized ball. If the mixture is too sticky add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until you can shape them into balls (you should have around 22 dumplings). Damp hands help prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands (you might need to wash your hands halfway through).
Bring your broth up to a simmer. Just before you’re ready to cook them, roll each dumpling in flour shaking off any excess.
Drop them into the simmering broth and cook for about 5 minutes.
Serve the Canederli dumplings in bowl with 1-2 ladles of broth. I serve 3-4 dumplings per person.
Alternative serving option
You can cook the Canederli in either broth or water then serve them with a sauce such as brown butter and sage as you would with Gnudi.
Notes
Our top recipe tips
Speck - traditionally a thick piece of speck is used and it’s finely minced/chopped. You can choose to do this instead of using slices if you prefer. Prosciutto can also be used instead of speck.
Prepping in advance - you can prep the dumplings in advance but DO NOT roll them in flour. Make sure to do this step right before cooking. I also don’t recommend preparing the dumplings more than 24 hours in advance or they will become too soggy.
Variations - flat-leaf parsley can be used instead of chives, prosciutto instead of speck and cheese can also be added. You can add in grated Parmigiano Reggiano or a handful of cheese cut into cubes such as Venezza, Fontal or Gruyere.
Serving sizes - serve 3 dumplings per person for a light lunch or starter or 4-5 per person as a main dish.